Cochlear nerve disease and how it affects hearing in models of hearing loss
Official title: Cochlear synaptopathy, neural pathophysiology and suprathreshold processing in animal models of sensorineural hearing loss
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11397415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how damage to the nerves of the ear happens and how it affects hearing in noisy places, using animal models to inform future human therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 2, 2017 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $578,395 |
| NIH project number | 5P50DC015857-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with sensorineural hearing loss whose difficulties extend beyond what audiograms show, potentially informing future human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hearing loss that is solely due to hair cell damage with normal nerve function may experience limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses animal models to understand why people with normal hearing tests can still have trouble hearing in noisy environments. It looks at primary cochlear nerve degeneration, which occurs when synapses between auditory nerve fibers and inner hair cells are lost before hair cells are damaged. The team aims to identify biomarkers and electrophysiological signals that predict this nerve damage and relate them to real-world hearing difficulties. The goal is to translate these findings to improve diagnosis and treatment for people with sensorineural hearing loss in the long term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of ear nerve damage could lead to improved diagnostics and targeted therapies for people with hearing difficulties, especially in noisy settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work links electrophysiologic metrics to auditory nerve status and to word recognition in challenging listening environments, supporting the approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kujawa, Sharon G — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Kujawa, Sharon G
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding why phantom sounds and intolerance to sounds happen after hearing loss
This grant investigates why some adults with hearing loss experience tinnitus, hyperacusis, and trouble ignoring background noise, and how brain changes relate to these symptoms.
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Biomarkers linked to cochlear nerve damage in adults with sensorineural hearing loss
A project to find biological markers of cochlear nerve damage and see how they relate to hearing problems like difficulty hearing in noise and tinnitus in adults with hearing loss.
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Cochlear nerve connections and hearing loss in human temporal bones
A large, patient-facing research effort analyzes how nerve connections in the inner ear deteriorate in people with sensorineural hearing loss by studying post-mortem human temporal bones.
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Sensorineural hearing loss and how it affects understanding speech
This project explores why people with similar hearing loss have different abilities to understand speech, especially in noisy places, and aims to uncover the brain and ear mechanisms behind these differences.
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Understanding why some people with hearing loss can’t understand speech in noise
This grant studies why some people with hearing loss can’t understand speech in noisy environments, even when they can hear it, to identify new ways to help them hear and understand better.
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Why some adults get tinnitus, sound sensitivity, or trouble hearing in noisy places
Researchers will link ear-nerve damage and the brain's overreaction to explain tinnitus, sound sensitivity, and difficulty hearing in background noise in adults with sensorineural hearing loss.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.